Hunter of the Flames
by IndigoStarling
Summary: Artemis has sent the Hunters forwards in time to recruit a very special archer. But it's a lot harder to get the Girl On Fire in the middle of the 74th Hunger Games than Thalia thought. Will the rebellion ever happen, or will the daughter of Zeus destroy the districts' chances of overthrowing the Capitol? Rated T for violence. Shout-outs to reviewers!
1. Beginning

Falling running dizzy spinning whirling white blank empty foggy headache

Room.

Thalia slowly opened her eyes and blinked to clear her vision. She was staring up at plain whiteness and for a second she was disoriented. Then she realized that the whiteness must be the ceiling as she was lying flat on her back. She groaned, her head aching and she closed her eyes once more. _Sleep,_ she thought. _Sleep will make me better for Artemis. Artemis…_ Suddenly Thalia's eyes snapped open once more and she sat up quickly, trying to ignore the wave of nausea that hit her immediately. She had remembered what happened before- Artemis speaking to her.

"_Thalia Grace. My brave lieutenant, I have a very important mission for you and the Hunters, but I will not be coming. My business is here." Artemis smiled at Thalia._

"_My lady, tell me what to do and I will do it," said Thalia instantly, with obvious unwavering loyalty. Her electric blue eyes sparked at the prospect of adventure._

"_There is one girl, one girl I need," said Artemis._

"_Where is she?"_

"_In the future. Her name is Katniss Everdeen and I fear she is our only hope. You must find her."_

"_The future? How…what?" Thalia frowned._

"_Just trust me. Trust me…"_

The next thing Thalia knew she had been spinning through an eternally white fog with her Hunters. Her Hunters!

Thalia frantically looked around her in the small room that she appeared to be enclosed in. There was only one girl lying on the ground- Thalia's second in command, a pale blonde girl from the sixties named Jennifer.

Thalia stood up and realized she was still wearing her silver hunting gear. That was a reassurance, because for some reason she had thought she was wearing different, unfamiliar clothes. She shook her head and ran over to her Hunter.

"Jennifer! Jennifer wake up!" Thalia shook Jennifer's slim shoulders firmly and she woke up, blinking furiously. She slowly stood up.

"Thalia? I- I don't understand. Where are we?" she said, her voice shaking.

"I don't know. The future somewhere, hopefully America."

"We need to get out of this room!" said Jennifer with urgency. Thalia blinked. She felt really stupid- she hadn't even thought about escaping this room. Her mind was fuzzy.

"Yes. Yes, of course," Thalia said, and her bow materialized into her hand, already nocked with an arrow. She walked over to the door, and finding it locked, she shot the arrow into the keyhole and there was a click. She swung the door open, and motioned to Jennifer.

Together they walked slowly into a long, white corridor, arrows nocked. An alarm suddenly went off and the Hunters jumped. A long stream of men in white protective gear and helmets came out of another door at the end of the corridor.

Thalia waited a moment. She and Jennifer were utterly still. Then, all of a sudden, "NOW!" They shot arrow after arrow at the men, but the arrows simply bounced off the men.

"Thalia, we need to run," cried Jennifer.

"No!" said Thalia, and stepping in front of Jennifer, she slammed her hand on her watch and her shield, Aegis, appeared. The horrible face of the Gorgon Medusa made the men come to a halt. They averted their eyes at the horrendous sight and tried to shoot at the girls, but their aim was completely off. Thalia noticed a chink in the men's armour, right at the throat where their heads were turned the other way. She nodded at Jennifer. "The neck!"

Jennifer let loose dozens of arrows, each one finding a place in the throats of the men, until there was only one left. He raised his arms in surrender.

Thalia lowered Aegis. "He can tell us where we are," she muttered to Jennifer and together they walked towards the man, arrows pointed at him. He reached up and slowly took off his helmet. His milky blue eyes were full of terror and he had an abundance of black hair. Thalia could guess that he looked about thirty.

"Who are you?" she snapped at him.

He flinched. "I- I'm Cavon."

"No, I said that wrong. I don't care what your name is. _What_ are you?" Thalia said, stepping forward.

"I'm a Peacekeeper."  
"Where are we?"

"Outside District 10."

"No," said Thalia in frustration, "What country are we in?"

"I-I don't…" said Cavon, knitting his eyebrows. "It used to be called…Armarica?"

"America? Right. That's good," said Thalia.

Jennifer suddenly pushed Cavon and held him against the wall with her arm braced against his throat. She was surprisingly strong. "What do you mean, _used_ to be America?" she said through gritted teeth. Cavon could not reply as his face was turning purple.

"Jennifer!" Thalia scolded, and tugged her back from Cavon. The Peacekeeper took one short breath and collapsed, unconscious, on the floor. "Now we don't have anyone else to tell us anything!"

"Maybe that's for the best," said Jennifer, pointing at another stream of Peacekeepers running down the corridor. "RUN!"

Together they sprinted down the corridor and came to a dead end. None of the doors would open, and they struggled in vain. There was no time to shoot the locks, but Thalia noticed a vent low down in the wall. There was plenty of room for the two girls. She bent down and quickly prised open the vent. "Get in!" she yelled to Jennifer, who slid herself in headfirst. Thalia then leapt in the same way and she narrowly escaped her foot being caught by one of the Peacekeepers. _There's no way they'll fit through here,_ she thought, smiling, as she followed Jennifer through the metal vent.

Half an hour later the vent tilted downwards, and Thalia heard Jennifer yell as she fell down. Seconds later the vent was vertical for Thalia too, and she shouted out as well. Suddenly she landed on top of Jennifer outside on a patch of mud.

She looked around her. They had just come out of a huge, metal, cube-shaped building in the middle of a muddy village. The houses were small, dirty shacks around a huge square, with sections roped off. Thalia jumped up and helped Jennifer stand. Then she climbed up the building onto the roof.

She could see for miles. There were thousands of shacks, all placed around fields where children and adults alike were tending to various animals. There was a small street to the right which had beautiful big houses, and a large gate which said, 'The Victors' Village.' Thalia could see that 'District 10' stretched on for ages.

Thalia leapt down from the roof and looked around frantically, because Jennifer was gone.

That was when she heard the whistling of a whip, and a pain-ridden scream.


	2. Goodbye

**Special shout-out to CrazyKitten2112 for reviewing! More shout-outs to anyone else who types in that little review box down there…**

Jennifer shot the Peacekeeper in the chink in his neck before he even knew what hit him. He was dead instantly, and Jennifer ran forwards to untie the collapsed girl whose back was a bloody mess from the whip. She lifted her up and checked if she was breathing- and she was, but only just.

"Please, someone help! Is there a healer, or anyone around here? PLEASE!" Jennifer yelled, and glared at everyone gathered in the area. Their eyes were terrified, but they weren't looking at her. A Peacekeeper with a badge that clearly stated he was the Head was marching towards her.

"Jennifer!" called Thalia, who was running towards her. Jennifer set the dying girl on the ground. She slowly nocked an arrow. But before she even had a chance to pull back the drawstring the Head Peacekeeper had raised a gun and shot.

Jennifer dimly felt dull pain in her chest. She barely noticed that she was falling until she hit the ground beside the other girl. She could hear Thalia screaming her name as if in a dream…as if there was fog surrounding her. She felt Thalia's hand on hers as Jennifer closed her eyes one last time.

Tears ran down Thalia's cheeks in a heavy stream, but she knew that Jennifer was dead and no amount of crying would bring her back.

"Get the bodies out of here, would you?" snarled the Head Peacekeeper at Thalia. She felt cold, hard fury at this murderer, but she lifted the dying girl in her arms and brought her to an alleyway.

Thalia was about to go back for the body of Jennifer but a teenage boy, about sixteen and well built, was already carrying the dead Hunter. He walked in a strange way. He set Jennifer down beside the other girl.

"Is she still alive? The one who was whipped?" the boy said gravely, with brown eyes full of pain. Thalia immediately knew that he had seen many cases like this.

"I think so," said Thalia, putting a hand to the girl's neck. A steady pulse met her fingers. "She is."

"Good. Let's get her to the healer." The boy lifted the girl with strong arms and walked briskly off. Thalia only just had time to lift Jennifer before hurrying after him.

They walked through the dirty, cramped town until the boy stopped, knocking on a large, paint-peeling door of a larger building. The door swung open and the boy stepped inside. Thalia was not quick enough and the door slammed shut.

Thalia took the time to swear loudly. She didn't care about the boy, because, well, he is a _boy,_ but she cared about the girl who was whipped.

"Is she dead?" came a voice from behind Thalia. Thalia whipped around and was face to face with a brisk looking woman, with grey hair in a bun and a lined, thin face.

"Yes," said Thalia, managing to keep her voice steady as she looked down on Jennifer's still face and light hair.

"I'll bury her. Come with me," said the woman, and Thalia followed her, with one wistful glance back at the healer's house. It wasn't far before they reached a field.

"This is where we bury the dead. There's bound to be an empty hole for her." The woman led Thalia to a large hole in the ground.

"Here we are. Put her in there. Don't look so sad, you must know this happens all the time."

Thalia was a little shocked as she placed Jennifer gently into the grave. A man came over with a shovel and filled in the hole slowly and with great care. When it was finished, Thalia knelt by the grave of her second-in-command and closed her eyes. The man and woman left her alone.

_Artemis, please answer my call! Jennifer is dead, and I don't even know where my other Hunters are in this sad world. Please help me, my lady. I don't know what to do. _Thalia prayed with all her heart and soul.

Suddenly she got an answer. _My lieutenant, so brave. This message costs me great difficulty. I will not be able to help you after this. You must find Katniss Everdeen. To find her, here is what you must do…_

Thalia listened to the plan carefully. Then she opened her eyes and, after placing a single arrow on the grave of Jennifer, Hunter of Artemis, she walked back to the healer's house.

The boy was just coming out. He did not question why Thalia had no body with her; he must have known it was buried. He had no injured girl with him either as he had left her inside.

"Hello," he said. Thalia glared in return. She wanted nothing to do with any male mortal, whether he had helped her or not. She barely put up with Percy! She tried to walk on, and found the boy blocking her path.

"I'm Cole."

"Good for you."

"And you are…?"

"Walking away now."

Cole sighed. "You're weird."

Thalia tried not to be offended. "Well, so is your face! Look, I didn't think you were the chatty type. But now I know that, well, I _really _want nothing to do with you. So leave me alone."

Cole sighed again, but kept walking beside her in that strange way of his. Thalia was truly considering screaming at the top of her lungs- "STALKER!" but she didn't because he suddenly said something that made her heart stop.

"You're a demigod, aren't you? I know a daughter of a god when I see one."

"_What?_ What are you talking about? I have no idea, nice meeting you, I think I'll leave now, bye," Thalia said really quickly.

He grinned. "Daughter of, hmm, Ares maybe? Apollo- no, wait. Zeus."

Thalia gave up her pretence as clearly this boy knew about this stuff. "How did you know?"

"I'm…well, let's just say I'm not exactly human. Plus, I had a dream."

"Not human? Then what are you?"

The boy lifted up the bottom of his trousers to reveal-

"You're a satyr!"


	3. Meeting

**Shout-outs to max artemis potter, Scoltia and pnut9282 for reviewing, it means a lot! More reviews, more shout-outs, so don't hesitate! Constructive criticism always welcomed.**

_FAYE_

Faye woke up in a small, dirty room. She lifted her head and looked around- she was lying in a low bed and there was nothing else in the room but a small table, on which there was a large, empty syringe.

The last thing Faye remembered was screaming as the whip of the Head Peacekeeper was coming down, sharp and fast. She gingerly reached behind her and slid a hand under her back, where there was no injury at all. She was completely fine. She was wondering how long she had been asleep for, when suddenly the door slammed open with a crash and Faye looked, startled, at a fifteen year old girl with choppy black hair and piercing blue eyes.

"I'm Thalia," she said. "Let's go. Can you move at all?" She walked over to Faye with a concerned look, which turned to astonishment as Faye got out of bed and stood up, utterly well.

"That- but you- I don't understand!" said Thalia.

Faye gestured towards the syringe. "I guess that healed me. Anyway, I've been here for ages. Haven't I?"

Thalia just picked up the syringe and examined it carefully, opening the top and dipping a finger into the substance within. "This must be some form of, I don't know, ambrosia I guess. But even ambrosia wouldn't be that strong," she muttered to herself. To Faye, she said, "You've been here since yesterday afternoon when my friend rescued you. You better be grateful because it cost her her life."

Faye's eyes turned very sad. "I'm sorry. I am grateful."

"I know."

"Well, anyway, shouldn't we go?"

"Not with you wearing that," said Thalia with a small smile. Faye looked down and saw she was wearing nothing but a thin, grey nightdress that was uncomfortably short.

"Right. I know where we can get some clothes," smiled Faye, trying to cover up her embarrassment.

"We?"

"Your clothes are too conspicuous. Everyone's going to suspect you of something."

"Fair point." Thalia hated to think of parting with her hunting clothes, but if she was to get Katniss Everdeen she had to blend in. Her bow would still appear anyway. "Come one. My…_friend_ outside has transport."

"Let's go," said Faye, and led the way outside. She knew now that she was in the healer's house. They opened the front door and Thalia pointed towards a small white Peacekeeper buggy parked outside. Faye ran towards it in bare feet and leapt inside, Thalia close on her heels. "Drive!" Thalia poked a boy in the front seat and he started the engine.

Faye gave directions to the clothing store. "Left here- okay, now another left- I SAID LEFT- right right right right come on RIGHT- keep driving straight, here we are."

The boy parked outside a small, shabby shop that had a navy school dress in the window. Faye got out of the car and went in, leaving Thalia and the boy alone.

_THALIA_

Thalia realized as she watched the skinny girl duck into the store that she had never asked her name. She was a strange case- how was she healed so quickly? Thalia furrowed her brows in concentration.

"So…" said Cole, turning to look at her.

"So what? I'm thinking!" Thalia snapped.

"That girl. She isn't a demigod, she's totally mortal."

"Your point is?"

"Ambrosia or nectar would have burned her up. So how on earth is she better?"

"That's what I'm thinking about, genius!"

Cole said his next sentence very quietly. "I'm glad she's not burned up."

"UGH! You like her. For Zeus's sake, pleeease can we _not_ have any mushy romance stuff?" Thalia shuddered. Cole blushed a deep red and was silent. Thalia could see that the girl was pretty- she had chocolate brown curls, hazel eyes and was very graceful. But yuck! Thalia couldn't stand anything like that. She turned her back on Cole and busied herself by spinning an arrow around her fingers.

Thalia didn't even notice when the girl hopped back in the buggy with an armful of material.

"These are for you. If I only got injured yesterday, then tomorrow is…" she shivered.

"Reaping day," finished Cole as the girl held out a plain grey cotton dress and black boots.

Thalia was too distracted to ask what Cole meant. "You want me to wear a _dress?_ Are you out of your mind?"

"Everyone wears dresses to reaping day," replied the girl with a sharp look. Thalia sighed, giving up, and asked the girl her name. "Faye."

"Okay. So, you two going to get dressed?" said Cole.

"Once you get out of the car, yes," said Thalia with a glare. Cole grinned and left.

"I really don't know about him," murmured Faye.

"What do you mean?" Thalia wondered whether Faye sensed Cole wasn't human.

"His character keeps changing. I don't know what to make of him."

Thalia pondered this for a moment, and then nodded. Cole was like that. She never knew where she was with him, but then again she only knew one other satyr. Grover was in the past though- Thalia had to worry about the present…future…. she shook her head to clear it.

Thalia quickly donned the dress and laced up the boots. She felt weird wearing a dress, but she had to deal with it. Faye had put on a deep blood-red dress. Thalia was strangely jealous of how nice Faye looked. _What! I'm jealous? I'm turning into such a… girl!" _she thought. Thalia had never thought of herself as girly. _Maybe this dress is affecting me! _Thalia pulled at the collar as if it was strangling her.

"You okay?" said Faye.

"Yeah, yeah totally. COLE!" Thalia shouted.

Cole jumped back into the buggy. "Where are we going?"

"Nowhere. You two need to explain what reaping day is. And all the rest of it. NOW," said Thalia, narrowing her eyes.

"You aren't from here are you," said Faye.

"No. Get on with it!"

"Okay, okay," Cole said.

And this is what they told her:

They were in one of 12 districts, controlled by the Capitol. The whole country was called Panem, and each district had a job to do for the Capitol. District 10's was livestock. Years ago, there was 13 districts and they rebelled against the Capitol. District 13 got destroyed and to punish the districts the Capitol decreed that every year one boy and one girl from each district to compete against each other and the other districts in the Hunger Games. They fight in a huge arena to the death. There can be only one victor.

Thalia sat through this with a white face. _Artemis told me what to do. I must do this, I must, _she thought, her mind full of horrific images of children killing each other.

"So, tomorrow is the day the boy and girl are chosen?" she said, shaking.

"Yes, but it won't be you if you aren't from here," Faye said.

_But it won't be you either, Faye._

Thalia closed her eyes. She knew what she had to do.

**So what do you think Thalia's going to do? Oreos for whoever guesses correctly!**


	4. Volunteering

**Extra special shout-outs to the amazing reviewers pnut9282, Irisa0815, CrazyKitten2112 and TheHeavenAndTheEarth for correctly guessing what Thalia is going to do! And thanks to PennyTheMonsterBringer for reviewing!**

**For those who didn't guess, you'll find out in this chapter…**

After sleeping in a cold, dirty cowshed all night, Thalia wasn't feeling great. Her back ached and her dress was a bit grass-stained and crumpled.

"That's good," said Faye, when Thalia tried to smooth it out in vain. "You really look like one of us. Although your hair isn't very like ours."

"What do you mean?"

"It looks…well, it looks dyed," said Faye, with a faint troubled air. Thalia smiled and stroked her short black hair.

"It is," she said. "It's my style now."

"What colour was it originally?" said Faye curiously. Thalia turned away, and Faye winced, knowing that it wasn't a good subject. Thalia slowly took out a small gold locket that she kept around her neck, close to her heart. When she slid open the catch a picture lay inside- a picture of a handsome teenage boy with blonde hair and a kind smile.

"So…let's head to the square. We'll be early but that's better than being late," said Cole, jumping up. Faye stood up as well, and Thalia snapped the locket shut and quickly tucked it into her dress. Faye looked at her curiously once again, but Thalia simply walked past her as if she hadn't a care in the world.

They drove in the Peacekeeper buggy to an alleyway a little way from the square, so they would not get caught. Then they walked at a normal pace to where there were several short queues of children.

"Oh no," said Faye. "I didn't think of this. We have to be registered- they take blood and everything to record that you're here."

Thalia began to panic. How was she going to complete her mission if she couldn't get past the first tiny obstacle? But then the answer came to her.

"Let's get in a queue. It'll be fine, I know what to do," Thalia said so that only Cole and Faye could hear. They joined a queue and after waiting impatiently a short time they reached the top.

"Name?" said a mean looking woman, the only well or over-fed person Thalia had seen in District 10.

"Faye Elderbloom," said Faye, wincing as the woman took blood from her finger. Faye was then ushered into a section labeled- Female, 15.

Cole was next. He stated his name, got the blood taken and was put in the Male, 16 section. The woman beckoned Thalia forward with a pudgy finger.

"Name?"

Thalia concentrated really hard. She snapped her fingers.

"But you already took my name and blood, miss," said Thalia, with a put-on confused look.

The woman's eyes were unfocused, and she stared at Thalia with a strange look. "Yes…of course. Go on in," she said. As soon as Thalia had made her way into the Female, 15 section, the woman shook her head violently. Thalia loved the Mist. It was so useful sometimes!

Faye did not question Thalia's quiet appearance into the section. Thalia smiled, but then she looked up at the stage. There were two large clear balls full of slips. Not one of them had Thalia's name written on it. She frowned and once more doubts flooded into her mind. But she must do this, for Artemis.

About fifteen minutes of standing in silence, watching more children pour into the square in alarming numbers, a very tall, willowy woman trotted across the stage. She wore a short, abstract dress of 3D cubes in red, blue and yellow, and a short white wig. Her face was pulled into a scarily wide smile. Thalia winced as she looked at the woman. _That smile must be painful, _she thought.

"My name is Caldesia Bellinoble, as you all know," she simpered into a microphone on the stage. "There is a lovely video for you all as a delicious treat. Watch, dear children, and enjoy!" Caldesia emphasized the last word by flinging out an arm and looking dreamily at her outstretched fingers, as if trying to be poetic and graceful. Thalia snorted a little. Never in her wildest dreams had she imagined the Capitolites as bad as this- she had pictured the people she saw on TV, like Lady Gaga wannabes or like those models on the catwalk.

The video started and Thalia's smile was wiped from her face. The tale was one of destruction, portrayed like the districts were hell and the Capitol a generous heaven, giving the ordinary citizens of Panem a second chance. The story of the Hunger Games also was told, and Thalia felt sick.

As the colour faded from the large screen behind the stage, Caldesia spoke again into the microphone.

"To be different, I have decided to do the men's reaping first," she beamed, clearly hoping for a gasp of surprise. All she got was a shuffle in the boys' direction as they became unsettled.

Caldesia tottered over to the boys' reaping ball and Thalia got a sudden fear for Cole. He could be going into the Hunger Games, and even though she was a Hunter Thalia was beginning to like him. As a brother…a friend. Besides, he technically wasn't even a boy. She didn't want him to be forced to kill.

As a slip was pulled carefully from the mass, Thalia could feel Faye beside her literally shaking. Then Caldesia read out the name.

"Talon Ferrin."

I breathe a sigh of relief. There is nothing to be worried about anymore, Cole is safe and Faye would soon be.

"I volunteer as tribute!" shouts a boy from the back, just as Talon was making his way up the steps. Thalia froze. That voice was too familiar…

As Cole walked up to the stage and spoke his name, Thalia was too numb to think. The name of the girl was read out before she could react.

"Briar Roxen."

Thalia breathed out. "I volunteer as tribute," she shouted, strong and clear. Cole gave a small nod onstage gravely.

Thalia refused to shake, or let any fear show on her face. She walked quickly and calmly to the stage, where Caldesia was practically hopping up and down with excitement.

"TWO VOLUNTEERS!" she cried into the microphone, making everybody jump. "Two! What is your name, dear?"

"My name is Thalia Grace," Thalia said. She spoke loudly and refused to look at Faye when she said it.

"Okay then dearie. Shake hands, and let's go inside," said Caldesia cheerily. Thalia shook Cole's hand and he gave her hand a squeeze, as if to reassure her. _Well, I'm not comforted. Why on earth did Cole volunteer?_ She thought, frowning. They went inside the a building called Justice (Thalia saw it on a sign) and she was led off to a room on the left while Cole went into the room on the right. She wanted to speak to him, but they would have plenty of time to talk.

Thalia looked around her at the dirty room containing nothing but a single chair. She was confused as to why they had brought her here, but she didn't get a chance to ask as the door had banged shut the moment she had stepped inside. Thalia refused to sit down, instead she just stood there, staring at the door, deep in thought.

"THALIA!" came a scream, the door flew open and Faye launched herself at Thalia. "I knew this was going to happen of course but I really didn't want it to and Cole is going in as well and I don't know what to do because I'll be all alone and I'll miss you." Faye said this all very fast and after she took a very deep breath and stepped back from Thalia. She looked at the Hunter shyly.

"Don't worry," said Thalia. "I'll be coming back. Of course I will."

"But if you come back then Cole won't be! I don't know what to do, Thalia…you're the only friends I've ever had," said Faye, tears streaming down her face.

"I'll find a way, I promise. It's not like he's going to go down without a fight, anyway. He has a serious crush on you," smiled Thalia. Faye looked up at her with hope in her big eyes. But just then the door opened once more.

Faye quickly took something out of her pocket and pressed it into Thalia's hands. The Peacekeepers began to drag her out, but she made no sound, and just _looked_ at Thalia, with such pain it was heartbreaking. Thalia thought of Jennifer, and she knew that if, no, _when _she came out of that arena she was going to make Faye a Hunter of Artemis…that is, if she was willing to not be with Cole.

There were no more visitors. Thalia was led to the train where Cole was already sitting in a beautiful purple room, watching the recap of the reapings.

"District 11 will be on now," he said to her, and she sat down beside him. The girl's name was read out quickly and clearly- "Rue Starforest."

Suddenly Thalia stood up, her face white. The girl who was on the stage, Rue, was not called Rue. Thalia's mind was spinning.

The girl on the stage with the halo of dark curls was a younger, but unmistakeable, Hazel Levesque.

**So, what do you think of that surprise at the end? I know what you're thinking- whaaat? But all will become clear in the end.**

**I really hope you enjoy this story, PLEASE let me know what you think and answer the question above. There's always more shout-outs to be handed out!**

**Xxx**


	5. Seeing is believing

**Shout-outs once again to TheGlitchOnFire (aka PennyTheMonsterBringer), pnut9282, CrazyKitten2112 and IbelieveinGod16! Some new reviewers would be really nice, **_**as I'm not updating until I get at least 18 reviews.**_** SO REVIEW FOR A NEW CHAPTER!**

**This one is particularly exciting, I think anyways. Read and enjoy!**

Thalia was so shell-shocked she could barely breathe. How was it possible that Hazel was there, in District 11? She was pretty sure that Artemis had only sent forward herself and the Hunters. But then again, 'Rue'/Hazel had a family that looked exactly like her, so maybe it was some sick trick of the mind, and not Hazel at all.

Cole looked at Thalia concernedly. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah… yeah, I'm totally alright," murmured Thalia, distracted.

"You wanna see the rest of the reapings?" Cole said, a hand on Thalia's shoulder. "Look, I'll get you some water. Water, please," he said to an attendant nearby, who nodded, quickly filled up a glass and gave it to Cole who handed it to Thalia. She sipped it and slowly felt her head returning to normal, losing dizziness.

"I'll watch the rest," she said, sitting back down again. Cole rewound to District 1, and they leaned back to take note of their competitors.

Immediately Thalia gasped again. The District 1 girl was Annabeth, it had to be Annabeth. But she was too flirty; too sexy in the way she walked and smiled. Thalia shook her head. Glimmer. Her name was Glimmer.

Thalia made it to the District 2 male before the next familiar face appeared- the vicious looking boy supposedly called Cato was Jason. He looked so like Thalia's brother, but that sadistic grin proved otherwise. But seeing his face was like a punch to the gut. Thalia could barely breathe, but she forced herself to keep watching.

The tributes that went by after that were unrecognizable, until another face came up that was achingly familiar. The District 6 boy was the spitting image of Nico di Angelo, and even the way he acted was familiar. But no, Nico did not have a mother, and this boy did, Thalia could see her screaming after him.

After that came Leo Valdez in District 9. Thalia knew it couldn't be him, but it didn't stop her from reaching out to the screen with shaking fingers and pointing at him, which caused a very strange look from Cole. Tears were running down her face and it was all Thalia could do not to collapse on the floor.

Cole fast forwarded districts 10 and 11, they had been seen already. So Thalia, wiping her tears away furiously, watched attentively District 12. She pushed her friends' faces out of her mind and stared at the screen.

A little girl named Primrose is reaped, but an older girl volunteers for her bravely and walks to the stage, ignoring the young girl who is being lifted away by a strong older boy. The older girl has dark brown hair in a plait, and olive skin, with grey eyes.

"Well, bravo!" gushed the ridiculously dressed woman on the stage. Thalia remembered her name was Effie. "That's the spirit of the Games! What's your name?"

"Katniss Everdeen," the girl says.

Thalia didn't hear whatever else they said. She was memorizing every bit of the girl on the stage, because this is the girl she was here for, the one she has been sent to get.

The boy climbs up onto the stage, Peeta, and Thalia leaned forward to switch off the television.

Cole turns to her. "Are you…"

"Yes, Cole, I'm fine. Nothing's wrong," she snapped. To change the subject Thalia then asked, "Why did you volunteer?"

Cole smiled at her. "Thalia, my dad used to tell me stories. Stories that his dad told him, and his dad told my dad's dad, and so on right back to old times. They said that every satyr must have a demigod- one to protect and do their job. I have been searching for one all my life, and I have found two already, but they went into the Games and…well, they both…" Cole trails off, looking troubled.

"They died, didn't they?" Thalia said.

Cole looked even more worried than before. "Yes, they did, but both of them went…they went crazy before. Both of them. They screamed and pointed at certain other tributes, like they…I don't know. All I know is that you are doing it too. So I volunteered, one- as your protector. And two- I don't want you to end up like them."

Thalia was shaking. _This has happened before, _she said to herself. _I'm not going crazy. I'll just keep it together, that's all._

But it was going to be hard to keep it together when there were seven tributes that she knew she would not be able to kill.

They were Annabeth, Jason, Nico, Leo, Hazel, Cole and Katniss. Thalia could not think of the first five any other way except that they were her friends and she wouldn't kill them, even though they clearly weren't who they looked like. Cole, she would never, ever kill. And Katniss…she was the reason Thalia was here in the first place. Thalia couldn't kill her. At that moment, although Thalia had thought that she would be at an advantage in the Games, she knew that she was at more of a disadvantage than any of the other tributes, even the ones who couldn't fight.

"Right, you are not okay. What makes you feel okay normally?" said Cole.

Thalia turned to look into his kind eyes. "Well…fighting monsters I guess."

"On a train to the Capitol we are not going to find any monsters. There are barely any left anyway."

"I thought they always reformed," said Thalia.

Cole shrugged. "Excuse me?" he said to the attendant, who nodded at him. "Is there anywhere we can train here or anything?"

"Yes, at the end of the train. Just keep walking forward that way," said the attendant. Thalia noticed that some of them held their mouths differently. The attendant they had just talked to was fine, but the ones in red instead of blue looked more… strangled.

"They're Avoxes. Their tongues have been cut out," whispered Cole to Thalia as they began walking. Thalia should have felt sick, but since she already felt as sick as possible, she just felt disgusted.

They walked in silence through the long corridor and finally reached a doorway that was labeled- "TRAINING."

"Ready?" said Cole. "There will be others in here." Thalia nodded to him. Better face her fears sooner rather than later.

They pushed open the door and Thalia was met with Jason, Annabeth and their district partners standing looking at weapons. _No, _thought Thalia angrily. _Cato, Glimmer and their district partners. _She decided to call them by the names they went by in Panem, even in her head.

Cato picked up a large golden sword. He ran his hand over it, grinning, and then quick as a flash he stabbed it into a straw dummy, which split. Thalia flinched, but didn't step back like Cole. Cato had more brute force than skill. Jason was both, but Cato wasn't Jason. _There's a weakness, _she thought.

Glimmer laughed and clapped while the other two, a girl and a boy both with brown hair, picked up a spear and a pack of knives. The girl threw them into another dummy, one after another, while the boy thrust the spear into two dummies, one behind the other.

"Nice one, Marvel!" said the girl.

"Thanks, Clove," he said.

"Not bad with you either," smiled Cato, and just there, as Cato looked at Clove, was the look that Jason gave Piper all the time. The look of love, and Thalia felt such sisterly love for him in that moment. Then his face returned to its normal sadisticness, and Thalia shuddered, reminding herself that he _wasn't Jason._

Glimmer picked up a set of bow and arrows. She tossed her hair behind her shoulders and nocked an arrow before letting it fly into the leg of a dummy.

Cato, Marvel and Clove laughed while Glimmer flushed with frustration. It wouldn't be hard to think of Glimmer as Glimmer, and not of Annabeth. They were so unalike.

Suddenly Thalia had an urge to return to her normal, confident, Hunterish self. "That the best you can do?" she called over. Glimmer and the others whipped around and stared at Thalia.

Cato was the first to speak. "Think you can do better, do you? Is this a challenge?" he said, pausing for effect before the word 'challenge'. He looked at Thalia so cruelly as the others laughed again.

"Yes," said Thalia, stepping forward and drawing her Hunter's bow. She pretended she had already picked it up, so they wouldn't think it strange that she had a magic bow. "It is."

"You go first then, runt," said Marvel, with a smirk.

Thalia drew an arrow from her sheath and nocked it. Time to show them what she was made of.

Arrow after arrow flew into dummy after dummy, Thalia spinning around and laughing, before rolling and letting more fly. They all hit their target perfectly, and after 'killing' every one of the dummies awesomely, she whirled around to face the Careers. The shocked look on their faces was matched only by one of the dummies bursting into flames.

If only Thalia could forget two of them had the faces of her brother and best friend.

**Next chapter some info is revealed on how all this has happened! So review if you want to know!**

**What's your theory?**

**Xxx**


	6. Discovering

**Shout-outs to… Guest, Love this cross (sorry to both of you, I don't know what else to call you!), DisneyMagic21, molly122, Flamesfan, Tessa, Zuri2002, kingofnerdssince2013 and of course the loyal CrazyKitten2112 and TheGlitchOnFire! I can't believe how popular this is, so THANK YOU EVERYONE!**

**In this chapter some questions are answered about how all this stuff is possible. Enjoy!**

Thalia couldn't sleep. Despite her victory against the Careers and making them look at her in fear earlier that day, she felt like she shouldn't have done it. She tossed and turned, her eyes wide open. Eventually she stopped trying, got out of her huge fluffy bed and looked around.

Thalia couldn't imagine how much this one room must be like heaven to some of the children in the districts, with its double bed, carpeted floor and buttons to press for food and drink at any time. They lived in such poverty, completely ruled over, with dirty beds shared by their siblings. _Although,_ whispered a voice in Thalia's head, _in some parts of the world people live like this back home. _With a jolt, Thalia's mind spun back to an advertisement she had seen on television in Percy's house when she went to visit.

It was about children in Africa who lived in even worse conditions than the kids Thalia had seen in District 10. They didn't even have running water, or jobs. She shook her head to clear it. Don't think about the past. Think about now.

Thalia went into the pristine bathroom and switched on the light. She blinked several times to get used to it, and turned on the shower. _I've always been a night owl anyway, _she thought._ Showers at three in the morning aren't that unusual._ Seconds after Thalia turned the shower on it was hot enough, and she took off her pajamas and ducked inside, reveling in all the body lotions and shampoos. She smiled. Some girls in the Aphrodite cabin back home would love this.

Fifteen minutes later Thalia turned the shower off and stepped out. She peered at the writing on a large green button and pressed it conclusively, and suddenly there were warm jets of air drying her from different angles. She reached up and ruffled her dry hair. She felt calmer now, more sleepy.

Thalia walked back into the bedroom and got back into bed. Almost the instant her head hit the pillow she fell asleep.

_A man with stretched features and white hair and a beard was sitting, leaning on a desk, with his fingers massaging his temples. Thalia noticed his eyes were full of something not human…they were black and seemingly empty._

_The old man suddenly screamed and clutched his head in obvious agony. Thalia leant forward as if to help him, but stopped, realizing this was a dream and this man was beyond helping. Something bad was happening to his mind._

_I AM HERE. A voice boomed loudly, a terrifying male voice that seemed more powerful than even Thalia's father Zeus. The man began to weep, clawing at his hair and nearly ripping chunks out. SNOW. Instantly the man stopped screaming and tearing at his head and stood up quite calmly. Snow must be his name, thought Thalia. Then, with a wave of nausea, she realized this man was President Snow. The person who issued the Hunger Games. She recoiled immediately and clenched her fists in anger at this man. But she was in a dream- she could not do anything._

_THE GIRL. "Yes, yes, Lord O, she is taken care of," said Snow hastily. Thalia was curious. What girl did he mean? Katniss Everdeen?_

_HOW? "The same as the others. I used the power you gave me to change the faces of her competitors to her friends." Thalia was shocked. They were talking about her! This is why she kept seeing the faces of those she cared about! Snow kept talking. "I promise you, Lord O, that it will break her."_

_SHE IS MORE POWERFUL THAN THE OTHER TWO! DO MORE THAN WHAT YOU DID FOR THEM._

_Snow visibly trembled. "I don't know if I can, Lord O. It may- it may kill me."_

_IF YOU DON'T THE CONSEQUENCES WILL BE MORE SEVERE. YOU HAVE A FAMILY, AND I CAN MAKE LIFE DIFFICULT FOR THEM…_

_Snow dropped off the chair and onto his knees. He began to sob. "I will, Lord! I will…I will do what you ask." Thalia was shocked at how such a cruel, heartless man actually loved his family enough to sacrifice himself._

_But then every thought was wiped from her mind to be replaced with pure terror. I CAN SEE YOU…taunted Lord O. Thalia turned and began a sort of drifting run, the kind you do in dreams. Her palms were sweaty and adrenaline was pumping. She knew she wouldn't be able to get away…did people even get hurt in dreams? But Thalia didn't stay long enough to find out._

_She reached out and pinched her arm hard as she ran._

And snapped awake.

"Morning!" trilled a voice from outside- unmistakably Caldesia. Thalia leapt out of bed and began randomly jogging on the spot to relax herself and to get rid of the adrenaline and energy racing through her.

"Dearie, I'm coming in, okay? Today is _chariot day_, so you had better be up!" Caldesia entered the room and smiled when she saw Thalia standing up out of bed. "I am going to choose your outfit today if you don't mind. You are going to meet the stylists, which is a crucial point of success! You must look your best."

"What about the mentors?" said Thalia. She was wondering what they would be like- obviously they had been through all of this before.

"I'm afraid you will meet your mentors after the chariots, before the interview. They are very busy at the minute. After all, you and Cole were volunteers! They want to get you sponsors." Caldesia rummaged in Thalia's drawer, which was filled to the brim with clothes she had never seen before.

"Oh _Thalia, _don't you think this is _perfect?_" squealed Caldesia. She held up a sequined turquoise tunic, sleeveless and very sparkly. "It goes with your eyes! And also, wear this. To toughen up the look." Caldesia threw the tunic at Thalia and picked up a cropped black leather jacket. Thalia smiled, thinking that was more her style. Caldesia also chose maroon skinny jeans and black knee boots, and then the escort turned around while Thalia changed.

The Hunter looked at herself in the mirror. She looked stylishly tough- not her style, but perfect for the Careers. She smiled and Caldesia turned around. "Oh, dearie, we must do something with your hair! Let me put in extensions. Or straighten it- or curl it- oh, come on, at least _brush it_," sighed Caldesia. Thalia ran a comb through her choppy hair and when Caldesia tried to put a large yellow bow in it, Thalia took it out and threw it out the train window. Caldesia muttered something about 'extremely expensive silk' and she walked out of the room with a gesture for Thalia to follow.

They came back into the dining room where Cole was sitting, eating breakfast, which for him consisted of lots of vegetables and the occasional can. Thalia smiled. "Morning!" she said, and sat down beside the satyr. She snatched up a croissant and began to chew on it, putting on a cheerful, relaxed face when inside she was freaking out. It was all right to know that she was hallucinating the faces of the tributes as her friends, but that didn't make it any easier to cope with. What Thalia desperately wanted to know was _who _was doing this to her.

Cole set down his fork and looked at her quizzically. "Morning? That's not exactly what you'd usually say on a day like this."

Thalia tried to smile. "I'm fine and dandy!" she laughed, and it was so cheesy she could actually smell it.

"Okay, you aren't all right," said Cole, putting an arm round her. She brushed it off. Just then Caldesia left the room, and since there was no reason to pretend happiness Thalia let her true feelings show. And instead of trying to be brave, she took a deep, shuddery breath and burst into tears.

"Hey! Hey, it'll be alright!" Cole said soothingly, gathering her up into his arms and stroking her hair. Thalia didn't know what was wrong with her. Everything was just going so badly.

The next hour went by in a haze of watching previous Games with Cole and steadying her breathing- until the train suddenly stopped.

"We're here! Darrrr-lings, we're HERE!" trilled Caldesia. She led them off the train and into a nearby center, which was a huge building that reminded Thalia of a football stadium, just bigger.

"In here. Come on!" squeaked Caldesia, opening a small side door to let the tributes through. They walked down a corridor and into a large room, where their stylists sat waiting on plush indigo sofas.

Thalia's face blanched. The male stylist had dark brown hair with pink tips and a spiky silver tattoo on his handsome face, and he wore a pink suit. The female stylist had very long brown hair with many metallic gold streaks, and she wore a multicolored feather dress that matched her kaleidoscopic eyes.

They were Percy Jackson and Piper McLean.

"Cole and Thalia, these are Corduroy Glissimo and Velvetine DeSigna. Corduroy and Velvetine, meet Cole and Thalia." Caldesia beamed at the tributes.

"You can call us Cord-"

"And Vel." said the stylists, finishing each other's sentences. They smiled sweetly at each other. _Oh gods, _thought Thalia. _Even their voices are the same. _She put on a bright face and Cord rushed forward.

"Your hair! Sweet pea, your hair is a mess! I can deal with everything else, but honestly!" he blathered. Thalia actually gave a genuine laugh- it was so funny to see Percy wearing pink and acting like this.

Cord led Thalia into a room where he and five other assistants washed her hair extremely thoroughly, and dug into her scalp. They then blow-dried it and combed it, and turned Thalia's chair around so she could see what it looked like.

All the dye had been washed out. Thalia's hair was a soft gold, just like her brother Jason's.

She gasped and buried her face in her hands. If only she could bury the insanity that was threatening to take her over.

**So? You like? Who do you think Lord O is, and why is he trying to make Thalia lose her mind?**

**Guess what! CONTEST TIME! Create a female or male mentor for Thalia and Cole! PM only. Make them good, peeps! No demigods, just OCs. **

**Celeste xx**


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